Pre-registration website being launched on Monday
One thousand people registered an interest in becoming a constable with West Midlands Police in the first two hours of a pre-registration website being launched on Monday.
Traffic to www.west-midlands.police.uk rocketed in the minutes that followed the site going live, with up to 1,800 visitors viewing the page at its peak.
Potential applicants are now able to submit their details if they are interested in one of the 450 posts available over the next two years.
The current recruitment freeze is about to end and a new application process will open as the search begins for a fresh, new and diverse group of recruits.
There is no cap on the number of people who can express an interest ahead of the formal application process, which begins in April.
Police and Crime Commissioner Bob Jones said: “After nearly four years without any new officers, this is a great opportunity to infuse the force with new skills and experience and I’m sure we will get lots of excellent candidates. It is a real priority to bring in officers with the skills needed for policing over the next thirty plus years, and officers able to police our diverse and varied communities.”
Temporary Deputy Chief Constable Sharon Rowe said: “It’s fantastic for us to be able to offer this opportunity, which will help us to provide an even better service by bringing fresh ideas into our workforce, directly from the communities we serve.
“Policing is challenging and rewarding. As a constable you’ll get to learn new skills, meet new people and you’ll never know what to expect − each day is different. As well as reducing crime, you’ll help to reduce the fear of crime by providing reassurance, inspiring confidence and really making a difference to people’s lives.”
PCC Bob Jones added: “I am also pleased to announce that we will not require candidates to have the Certificate in Knowledge of Policing at this point. The timing of the recruitment would mean it would be unfair to expect all candidates to have completed the Certificate. However, a qualification equivalent to NVQ level 3 will be required, but people without an NVQ level 3 qualification should not be put off. The recruitment will be running for two years, so there is time to get an appropriate qualification and make an application later on.
“As already agreed, the starting salary for new officers will be £21,999, well above the £19,000 recommended by the Winsor Review, which both reflects the responsibilities of the role and ensures our salary level is competitive with other forces in our region.”
TDCC Rowe added: “The area we police is richly diverse, with approximately 30 per cent of people from ethnic minority backgrounds. We have a strong commitment to equality and diversity within the organisation and in the services we provide.”
West Midlands Police is the second largest police force in the country and in the last two years has reduced crime by 20 per cent. It covers 348 square miles and serves a population of almost 2.6 million, responding to more than 2,000 emergency calls for help daily.
Successful applicants will need to complete two years as a probationary officer; following this, you may choose to develop your career by working your way up the ranks or specialising in a particular area of policing.
For further information about the recruitment process or to register your interest in joining, visit: http://www.west-midlands.police.uk/join-the-force/index.aspx.
